The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, which is provided with plural types of recording sheets that differ, for example, in size, as recording media to record image information of an original or the like, and is capable of selecting a desired type from the recording sheets for recording image information thereon. This type of image recording apparatus is adapted for use in copying apparatuses, printers, and the like.
For instance, a known copying apparatus equipped with the image recording apparatus of this type is designed to permit an operator to manually select a desired one from plural types of recording sheets or copying sheets different in size and provide a copy using xerography.
Recently, however, various types of recording techniques have been developed and different types of recording sheets have appeared, accordingly.
A photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording sheet is one of the recording media that are receiving the greatest attention today.
The photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording sheet has a plurality of micro capsules on its surface which become hardened upon reception of light and are soft when receiving no light. When pressure is applied to this sheet, the hardened micro capsules are not ruptured while the soft micro capsules, which have been shielded from light by a shielding member, are ruptured. Consequently, the photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording sheet is colored by the chromogenic materials encapsulated in the micro capsules. An image recording apparatus provided with a photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording sheet, particularly of a color type is characterized by its significantly low manufacturing cost and simple structure, as compared with a conventional color image recording apparatus which forms a color image on a recording sheet. Further, when the image recording apparatus provided with a monochromatic photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording sheet is used as a copying apparatus, it is more compact than conventional copying apparatuses.
One type of photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording sheet is a transfer type of a recording sheet, which is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,209. According to the transfer type of recording sheet, a first sheet having a layer of pressure rupturable micro capsules coated on a substrate cooperates with a second sheet having a layer of a developer material that is coated on another substrate. When these two sheets overlap one upon another, the developer material reacts with the chromogenic material encapsulated in the ruptured micro capsules so that a predetermined image is transferred from the first sheet onto the second sheet.
Another type of a recording sheet, a so-called self-chromogenic type, which has both the layer of micro capsules and the layer of a developer material formed on the same substrate, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,846. No image recording apparatus has been developed yet, which is provided with plural types of recording sheets that includes at least one of the aforementioned types of the photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording sheets and which is capable of selecting a desired type of a recording sheet and recording image information thereon. Development of such an image recording apparatus should satisfy the condition that the desired type of recording sheets be properly selected. If not, for example, a monochromatic image may be erroneously formed on a color photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording sheet or an image may be on only one surface of the double-side photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording sheet, thus resulting in an increase in the running cost. Therefore, there is a demand for an easy and solid solution to this problem.
The selection of the desired type recording sheet may be manually executed by an operator; however, such an operation is likely to be erroneous and is troublesome. This problem also needs to be addressed.